Good day all..

I have a 2004 RX8, 6 speed manual gear with a stock engine. So far only install megan racing exhaust, HKS Superfire plugs, HKS filter and Pivot Throttle controller. Engine in well maintained condition..

This morning I warm up the engine for 5 minutes in 15 degree celsius of winter climate then I start to go for work. After going around 2km suddenly the engine goes off by himself when I stop for signal. Then after i start it again it made a strange noise and engine start to vibrate, feels like something choking and about to explode. I force the engine to keep running coz I'm about to climb a bridge, I though at least I can pass that bridge and stop in the roadside after passed it or else big traffic jamm will happened coz of my RX8. The car start to loosing power and the engine almost shut off when I shift down the gear to gain power then I saw a firesparks came out from the exhaust spreading all over the road just like somebody does a welding/hotworks inside my exhaust. I stop the car then the engine goes off, I try to start but it wont comes.

Two weeks before the incident I start to smell a fresh gasoline came from the engine bay everytime the car running fast in high rpm, but the smell gone when I drive slow or when the car only parking/idle. I check the engine bay, fuel rails and fuel tanks all dry, no symptoms of leakage, then I ignore it even the smell still strong like we are sitting next to a petrol station pump.

One week ago the car start to choking sometimes when we are accelerating. Feels like it having a dirty gasoline or feels like it has a rev limiter. So when it reach particular RPM it will cut off, but it happen in the range of 4000-8000rpm only and not everytime..

This morning that "firesparks" incident happened and I really sad I wonderning what happened with my RX8 though I never missed the service..

Can anyone advice me what happened with my engine? Why there's a firesparks came and then the engine suddenly shut off?

 

While I'm no expert on the Wankle engine in the RX-8, it sure sounds to me like you need a new engine.